THE DEDICATION OF THE BASILICAS OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, SATURDAY THIRTY-SECOND WEEK, 11/18/2023

THE BASILICA OF SAINT PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALLS

The two greatest apostles of Christ were Saints Peter and Paul.

The Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls was erected during the fourth century AD. It is one of the four major basilicas of Rome, and the second largest after St Peter's Basilica. It was founded on the burial ground of St. Paul. When Paul the Apostle was executed in the first century AD in Rome, his followers built a shrine over his grave. In 324 a small church was consecrated on the same grounds, which was later demolished in 386 to make space for the construction of a larger and more beautiful basilica, completed in 395. (Rome.net)

The Basilica of St Peter The basilica was built according to tradition above the burial site of St. Peter, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus and the first Bishop of Rome. To maintain this tradition, Popes are now buried within the basilica. It is located in St Peters Square. (StPetersbasilica.com)

MASS READINGS

Gospel Lk 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them? I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.

But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

REFLECTION

"But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Both St Paul and St Peter were taught by Jesus to pray. They were disciples with persistent faith. Today's Gospel takes us into a different level of not just merely asking but we are encouraged to persist in our prayers to God as the wronged widow with the unjust judge. We are to pray unceasingly as Jesus always prayed. Even at night He slipped away to pray. St Paul tells us to pray continually.

This does not mean that we will get immediate results, that God will answer "yes" because we kept praying. We do not always get immediate results when we pray. We might not get what we pray for because we pray that His Will, not ours, be done. We can fully count on the Lord to answer when, where, and how He chooses. Persistent prayer requires tenacity, faith, hope and trust. But we pray that God's Will be done. A genuine disciple must learn that prayer never gives up and is based on absolute trust and faith in God as a child with his parent. It is the relationship that allows the persistence. St Paul and St Peter had such a relationship with God and they shared with others. God expects us to keep on asking, seeking, knocking, and praying until the answers come, answers that we know are God's Wisdom.

God Bless You